A Lily in Peach Soil
by AberrantNinja
Summary: Azucena was slowly coming to realize, that the world of Naruto, was not all that great. At least, for her it wasn't. Now she must find a way back home in a world where they don't even speak English. She guessed it wouldn't have been that bad...if it weren't for the fact that she was being held prisoner by none other than Momochi Zabuza. Rated M (future crack pairings)
1. Death Of A Lily

5seedapple, true-blue-sheila, musicmoilife247, jamandel3177, daydreamer1008, bluebelle94, BlueJae3, jinlai, LockHerDoor **and** Kikrin94

**Thank you for following me and this story!**

**So this is the re-write of the first chapter, definitely going a different direction from the first time I published this! I had to start over because I didn't like where it was going but I'm liking this direction much better. Let me know what you think. Is it better or worse? **

**This was originally suppose to be a IbikixOC but it changed to a ZabuzaxOC. Even I'm not too sure how that happened either. Chapters, as always, will probably be short but I'll try to make them long. This will also be a slow update, I'm just trying to get back into writing like I use to do. **

**I should warn you, I plan to make this a bit darker than what I normally write, so if you are not comfortable with that I would not read it. I'll try to put a warning at the beginning of the chapter like my other stories. Topics it _may_ touch: drug use, sex, mental and physical abuse, gore and torture. ****Not 100% sure yet, ****my mind ****usually has a concept but when I start writing it ends up taking weird turns. **

"Speaking in Japanese"

_"Speaking in English"_

**"Speaking in Spanish"**

_**'**T__houghts**'**_

**I don't proofread my chapters! I just dish them out as I write them because I'm lazy so keep in mind it'll probably have a lot of grammar errors.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. JUST MY OCs**

* * *

She hadn't known why she done it. That was a lie. She did it because he reminded her of her little brother, no, that wasn't quite right. She had cared for him like he was one of her own. She had taken care of him when he was sick and when Zabuza was on a mission too dangerous for them to tag along. She had fed him, brushed his hair and comforted him when he was sad. She taught him things just as he had taught her to speak Japanese. She had too many happy memories with him. Not Haku, anyone but him, he was too kind hearted and pure, he didn't deserve to die young not for that bastard. Besides she never really belonged here so was this world losing anything?

"Azu...why?" Kakashi asked staring at her in disbelief as his arm went through her shoulder. Her cloths turn red from the blood seeping through the wound and down her arm. She was shorter than Haku by only an inch or two and Kakashi had missed her heart by just barely but he still had managed to rupture her subclavicular vein.

"I'm...sorry...he's too young...to die" she coughed out blood and slowly pulled out Kakashi's hand from where it impaled her. More blood gushed out and Azu fell to her knees becoming lightheaded from the blood loss. Haku acted quickly and caught her setting her down gently on the ground his hands glowing with green healing chakra as he tried to close her wound.

"Why? I...I thought you were angry with me" Haku asked as tears streamed down his face.

"Yeah…angry…but I don't…want you dead, and Kakashi…I'm sorry" she coughed out more blood. It didn't hurt as much anymore, she didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

"You're off the mark again, Kakashi" Zabuza chuckled darkly.

"She saved your worthless lives even after all you did to her" Kakashi glared at them, he let Haku continue healing Azu in the hopes that the boy could save her but seeing her body growing paler by the minute he knew it was pointless. Kakashi could see it in Azu's eyes that she knew it was pointless too.

"I'm...I don't want Naruto...to..." _see me die _Azu croaked out the life in her eyes dimming.

"Okay" Kakashi nodded understanding her unspoken words.

"Pity, I had plans for her" Zabuza tsked bringing his sword down towards Kakashi. Haku quickly jumped through his ice mirror with Azu to avoid getting hit.

"Kakashi-sensei watched out!" Sakura shouted to warn her sensei, Kakashi jumped out of the way and glared at Zabuza.

"What did you do to my sister!" Naruto shouted running to Zabuza having missed on what really happened as the mist started to lift.

"No! You just stay there and watch! This is my battle!" Kakashi glared at his unpredictable student.

"Naruto is that you? Hey Naruto over here! Where's Sasuke?" Sakura asked as she saw her teammate, Naruto however stayed silent at her questions giving her an answer she was dreading to hear.

"Kakashi, you have no time to take your eyes off me!" Zabuza snapped sprinting forward with his sword. Kakashi spun and kicked Zabuza back as he was about to swing knocking him off balance. Zabuza quickly righted his footing and dashed towards Kakashi again, both shinobi trading blow after blow yet Zabuza was unable to keep up with the copycat ninja.

"Damn you!" he snarled wielding his sword with one hand as his other was useless from the kunai Kakashi had previously stuck in his arm.

"Zabuza-sama!"

"Stay out of this Haku! Hatake is mine!" Zabuza swung his sword again and missed once more, his sword created a small crater at the spot Kakashi should have been. He felt a hand wrap around the back of his neck and Zabuza gritted his teeth in anger at being caught.

"Look at you, you can't possibly defeat me the way you are now. I knew you didn't have what it takes for the long haul"

"What did you say?" Zabuza hissed.

"You still don't know what true strength means! And because of that, you lose" Kakashi continued to lectured him as he brought down two kunai to Zabuza's jugular. The clank of metal paused the action halfway and Haku stood there holding Kakashi back with his own kunai. Azu laid by the edge of the bridge forgotten making him fear that it was too late for her for the boy to stop healing her.

"Well, let's see how things are going, he did quite a job on you didn't he Zabuza?" Gato's voice called out to them. Kakashi and Zabuza paused in their fighting and turned to look at the short man, behind him was a mob of thieves and thugs waiting to strike at Gato's command "You disappoint me, Zabuza"

"Gato, why did you come here? And who are all those men?" Zabuza stood up straight as he took in possible enemies.

"Our strategy has changed a little...I'm sorry about this Zabuza, but you die here" Gato smirked.

"What?!" Zabuza's eyes widen at being doubled crossed.

"Since hiring a regular shinobi cost a lot of money, I hired rogues like you. And, it would have been even more ideal to save my money and effort if ninja-to-ninja battles ended in each killing the other off. Well, you are certainly not worthy of being called the Demon of the Hidden Mist Village. If you were to ask me, you're just a cute little demon!" Gato and his men laughed.

"Kakashi...I apologize. Our fight ends here...as long as my reason to take down Tazuna is gone, there is no reason to fight you either" Zabuza glared over at Gato. and his grip tighten on his sword.

"Yeah...you're right" Kakashi nodded and was slightly relieved at the small truce. Both shinobi now stood next to each other, eying Gato's group of men, wait for them to make a move.

"That reminds me, where is that bitch you had with you? I have plans to put her in one of my brothels, her exotic look will definitely bring in revenue"

"She's dead" Haku glared at him for talking about Azu in that way.

"Azu! Get up! Tell them it was a joke and you're not really- " Naruto sobbed and continued to struggle in his teachers grip he had desperately wanted to check on the woman he considered a sister. She couldn't be dead. Azu was the toughest person he knew. She had protected him countless times even if it meant getting hurt because of him.

"Hmm...guess whores do get what they deserve" he laughed.

"You bastard! Don't you talk about her like that! She has a name! She was Azu —" Naruto snarled running to him but was pulled back by Kakashi, the older shinobi's eyes flickered to the side just in time to see Azu's body disappeared.

"Damn it" Zabuza gasped as the seal he placed on her broke and the only way for that to happen was for her to died. _Stupid woman_ he clenched his jaw.

"Naruto! Stop! Don't act so recklessly!" Kakashi said sternly holding his student back from running at Gato. He knew Naruto and Azu had been close, after all she was living with him per the Hokage's orders.

The emotion in Naruto voice was raw as he continued to yell at the swordsman "Say something Zabuza! She was your comrade, wasn't she? Are you just going to let him talk about her like that?"

"Shut up, fool. Azucena is already dead. What does it matter?" He hissed down at the blonde boy.

"What...? Don't you feel anything watching him say that? You three were traveling together for years! Doesn't that mean anything to you? You're telling me not once did you grow close to her?"

"As Gato used me...I was simple using her. I thought I told you, we shinobi are merely tools. I'm upset at losing her abilities, yes, but the woman? I have no regrets"

"If that's true then you're worst than them!" Naruto snarled at Zabuza. Kakashi placed a hand on his student and tugged him back once more.

"Naruto enough! He's not the enemy..._for now_" Kakashi added as an after thought and glanced over at Zabuza cautiously. Naruto shrugged off his sensei's hand and continued to glare at Zabuza.

"As far as I'm concerned he's still the number one enemy here! Why you...ungrateful bastard! After everything she did! Sure she didn't like you either but she was happy that you made her stronger. She was happy to be traveling with you and Haku because she got to see the world! Will I become cold hearted like you if I continue to get stronger? She threw her life away for the both of you, she cared for you and this is how you repay her? You don't even defend her name! Throwing her away like she's trash!"

"Shut up kid!" Zabuza snarled at Naruto as tears fell freely from his eyes he hated that the boys words stirred something in him "Your words cut deep boy...deeper than any blade ever could. Azu was too emotional and unpredictable and damn her for making me feel like this!" he roared sprinting into the large group with Haku by his side. Both shinobi cut throw the mass of Gato's men.

The men never stood a chance at the Demon of the Mist sliced through more than half of them in less than a minute. Haku speed through his ice mirrors, no hesitation, throwing well aimed kunais killing them instantly.

Zabuza's and Haku's teamwork was flawless and if Azu had been part of their team and still alive he could only image them as unstoppable. Kakashi watch the two in slight fascination, this wasn't even a fight. It was a massacre and he let it happen.

He let them do it...for Azu, she deserved to be avenged if it wasn't for Gato's greed Wave County would be blooming by now and they wouldn't have needed to do this mission.

Azu would still be alive...

* * *

She stared up at the sky as she continued to bleed out, everyone's voices were growing farther away even as Haku continued to heal her.

"I..."

"Save your strength" Haku hushed her. The slight warmth she was feeling from Haku's healing was gone and she could only guess he left her to protect Zabuza since she was a lost cause now. Azu closed her eyes she could faintly hear Naruto's crying. She thought she teleported away to where she first arrived here but she was wrong. She didn't even have the strength to do that. She didn't want Naruto to see her like this!

This wasn't supposed to happen, she wasn't suppose to die this young. Azucena had a goal. She was supposed to finish getting her business degree and open up her own hair salon business. She was supposed to be getting ready to go with to visit her family or even a party, work or something! Yet here she was on the cold ground bleed out to her death. She wanted to see her family one last time and tell them she loved them and that she was sorry for not being able make them proud. That she was sorry she didn't get to say goodbye.

The shouting and crying stopped and it was replaced by a piercing scream that didn't sound like anyone on her team. It sounded higher in pitch, more feminine but older. She tried opening her eyes but could only make out black blobs clouding her vision, growing larger until all she saw and remembered was darkness.

* * *

**Bit different than my normal writing but I think it came out okay...?**


	2. Not So Dead Flower

**I should warn you, I plan to make this a bit darker than what I normally write, so if you are not comfortable with that I would not read it. I'll try to put a warning at the beginning of the chapter like my other stories. Topics it _may_ touch: drug use, sex, mental and physical abuse, gore and torture. ****Not 100% sure yet, ****my mind ****usually has a concept but when I start writing it ends up taking weird turns. **

"Speaking in Japanese"

_"Speaking in English"_

**"Speaking in Spanish"**

_**'**T__houghts**'**_

**I don't proofread my chapters! I just dish them out as I write them because I'm lazy so keep in mind it'll probably have a lot of grammar errors.**

**Any who, on with the story!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. JUST MY OCs.**

* * *

It was cold and the constant beeping was making her wake up from how loud it was. Opening her eyes was a mission in itself, when she finally did manage to open them, she snapped them closed again from the bright harsh lights. Her mouth was dry, and she wanted to throw up and her shoulder hurt, _burned_ even. Azucena tried to sit up, but a hand gently pushed her down and she heard something she hadn't heard in the past five years.

English.

"_Doctor! Nurse! Somebody! She's waking up!_" it was English, but it had a thick accent. One that sounded so familiar to her and hadn't heard since she went missing.

"..._Mom..._" Azucena rasped out at the blurry person.

"**It's okay, you're going to be okay mija**" that was her mother's voice no doubt about it and at hearing it Azucena wanted to sob but her body was too weak and she lost consciousness once more.

The next time Azucena woke it was dark and her mother was sitting in a chair fast asleep using her jacket as a blanket. The lights were off and it helped her eyes adjust to the low lighting easier. Azucena glanced around the room, she knew she was in a hospital and her mom was here, that meant she was back in her world. But how? Azucena had died, she was sure of it...or had she imaged everything and was in the hospital for a different reason? She glanced over to her mother again she was contemplating on waking her up. Her mother looked like she hadn't been sleeping well in weeks maybe in months. Her mother looked older and thinner than she remembered maybe she'll let her rest more. Azucena sighed softly to not wake her up and closed her eyes once more letting sleep take over her exhausted body once more.

The third time she woke it was bright again and she was alone, but she didn't have to wait long because in the next few minutes her mother came into the room with food in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

"_Hey mom_" Azucena waved weakly and it almost made her mother drop everything that she had been holding. Her mother began to cry and rush over to her bedside. Azucena's heart clenched at the sound and she grabbed her mother's hand squeezing it to assure her that she was fine.

"**Don't cry mom, please, I'm fine**" it felt strange speaking her mother's native language. She could feel it on her tongue as she struggled to pronounce some words or even remember them. She was out of practice. Having no one to speak to in English or Spanish in that other world really messed with her pronouncing.

"**I was so worried about you! Do have any idea how long we've been looking for you! And then you show up at home on the front lawn almost half dead! Don't you ever do that again! I thought I almost**—" her mother paused trying to collect her feelings but Azucena knew what she meant. She had almost lost her meaning she almost died.

"**I'm sorry**..." Azucena said. It was all she could say. She didn't know what was going on or how long she was out cold.

"**What happened? Where did you go? Who did this to you**?" It was one question after another and her mind couldn't come up with a single thing to say. What could she say? That she woke up in the forest and had to learn to survive off the land for a good two months before being found. Should she tell her that once found she was forced to become a shinobi. That she was forced to kill? That's she had been held prisoner for three and half years before escaping and fleeing to another place, only to be taken in and beaten to an inch of her life during interrogations. Or maybe tell her the part where she was branded like a slave?

"**I...I don't...remember**" Azucena finally said. She couldn't tell her mother the truth. It would break her heart to hear everything she went through. Azucena watched her mother eye her and she knew that her mother suspected something was wrong, but she didn't question her about it.

"**I'll be back I'm going to go get the doctor**" her mother said patting her hand and leaving her alone once more. She could see her talking to one of the nurses just outside her room. Azucena didn't even bother ease dropping her mind kept going back to the last mission she had been on. She really hoped her squad made it back to Konoha okay. Her being there must have caused a chain reaction. She needed to see Thea and talk with her, maybe even borrow her whole collection of Naruto manga she had and read up on what happens next. Perhaps she could prevent somethings if she went back— She froze at the thought. Go back? Did she want to go back?

"_Azucena_?"

She didn't deserve that name her mother had given her not with everything she has done.

"_Don't call me that_" She turned at the call of her name and saw an old balding man with a white doctor coat on walked into the room, a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. He smiled at her kindly, but his face was serious, meaning her condition wasn't all that great. She was used to getting that look from Nao, the medic the Hokage had assigned to her specifically. Nao would always frown at her when she woke up from being treated from an injury, before going on a rant of how careless she was being. The old bat would even slap her on her wound just to prove a point and then smirk at her pain. She was pretty sure the old woman was a sadist.

"_What do you prefer I call you?_"

_"Just Azu"_

_"Alright I'm Dr. Moore, I preformed the emergency surgery when you were brought in_, _how are you feeling_?"

"_Fine, when can I go home_?" she honestly did just want to go home. She wanted to make sure this wasn't another one of her dreams but the pain in her shoulder assured it wasn't. That didn't stop her from wanting to see it for herself.

"_How about we check your shoulder first before we discuss that_" the doctor tried to reason with her. He slipped on some blue rubber gloves and asked her to move her gown to be able to look at her injury. It had been covered in gauze and medical tape, when he uncovered it the wound had been closed with stitches. She knew it would scar like all the others.

Azucena nodded for Dr. Moore to continue, checking her vitals following his instructions sloppily because of the pain medications that were in her. Glancing around the room she spotted her mother sitting in the chair from before waiting patiently for Dr. Moore to make his assessment on her. His hands where cold and it caused goosebumps to rise on her skin, this was nothing like the medics back in Konoha who's hands were always warm from the chakra flowing through them. He asked her questions while touching certain spots near her shoulder.

"_Can you feel this_?"

"_Yes, and it hurts_" she hissed as he poked near the skin that had electrical burns from where Kakashi had impaled her.

"_Good, that means the nerves still work_" He nodded and took off his glove throwing them in the trash and faced her once more_ "You're lucky to be alive, your mother was smart to drive you over to us instead of call an ambulance by the time it arrived and got you here you might have bled out_"

"_What happened_?"

"_I was hoping you could answer that, there are a number of wounds on you, some years old others…more recent, by what your mother has informed me, none of these were on you on the day you disappeared_"

"_I...don't know_" it was a another lie but she wasn't sure if her family could handle the truth much less her doctors. They would put her in a mental hospital or just tell her she made everything up to cope with the trauma. What if she did imagine it all to cope with it? What had been real and what wasn't? There was only one way to find out and that was to talk to the last person she was with when she had gone missing. Thea.

"_I see_" He frowned "_Sometimes, if the trauma is too much, the mind tends to block it out until we are ready to face it_"

"_Will she remember_?" Her mother asked.

"_Eventually, however there have been rare cases where she might not. I recommend trying not to force her and let it come to her naturally_" Dr. Moore stated.

"_How long have I've been unconscious?"_ she figured that was good question to ask after his explanation.

Her mother took her hand and squeezed it gently "**Mija, you've been in the ICU for two weeks**"

"**I want to go home**" Azu told her mother tiredly then turned to Dr. Moore and told him in English "_When can I go home_?"

"_It's a little early to be discussing that_-"

"_Let me rephrase that, I want to go home_"

"_I would love to send you on your way home but the extent of your injuries" _He shook his head letting her know it was too soon_ "You ruptured your __subclavian vein in your left shoulder and broke through your clavicle bone...I'm sorry but I'd like to keep you here for a few more days for observation and lower the risk of infection_"

"I want to go home" Azucena mumbled low.

"_I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear that?_" Dr. Moore asked not quite catching what she said.

"_Nothing_"

She didn't say anything more after that except that she was sleepy. They left her to rest as Dr. Moore stepped outside the room with her mother and they shut the door behind them. She could faintly hear him tell her mother that he wanted to talk to her more in his office about the extent of her injuries. She figure it was for physical therapy and things she needed to be cautious about while she still healed. She could worry about that later for know she just wanted to sleep.

* * *

Zabuza stood up straight after finishing the last enemy and with practiced easy he placed his sword back on its holster on his back before turning to Haku. The boy made his way over to him and checked his injuries. The woman was no where to be found, the only evidence she left behind was a puddle of blood on the ground where she had last been. If she was dead wouldn't she have just died then and there? Something wasn't adding up and his instincts were never wrong.

"Normal protocol would be I turn you in" Kakashi sighed scratching the back of his head "But seeing as you helped us out in end, I can over look it. Besides, I'm sure it would have been something Azu would have wanted, at least for Haku anyway"

"She would also want him to live with her and have a normal life in a village" Zabuza rolled his eyes. That stupid woman was still in his mind.

"Come back with us! I'm sure I can talk to the old man on letting you stay!" Naruto called out to him before receiving a hard punch in the back of the head by the pink haired genin.

"Naruto! What have I told you about calling him that!"

"Ow Sakura-chan but he is old!" Naruto whimper holding his head while the dark-haired boy, Sasuke, scoffed at their antics.

"I doubt the Hokage will be willing to let two missing nins into the village just because your old man told him too" Zabuza scoffed.

"What are you talking about? He's is the Hokage, I'm sure if we told him everything, he'll let you both stay"

The Hokage? This blonde brat had connections to the leader now that was interesting.

"Naruto, you can't make decisions like that without discussing them with me first" Kakashi said pinching the bridge of his nose and then turned to Zabuza "We still have a few more weeks left of this mission. We have to stay until it's done being built, in the mean time I guess I can send word to him and let him know what has happened" Kakashi sighed.

"Alright!" Naruto cheered pumping a fist into the air "You're going to like our village Haku-"

"Naruto! Stop talking like the descision has already been made!" Sakura scowled her teammate "You're going to give them false hope! What if the Hokage doesn't approve it!" Sakura snapped at him.

"It's okay, I'm just glad we aren't fighting anymore" Haku smiled down at the trio.

"At what cost? Azu-sensei is dead" the brooding one, Sasuke, stated with a glare.

"Stop saying that!" Naruto glared at Sasuke, Kakashi noted that Sakura held her tongue on lashing out at Naruto for raising his voice at Sasuke.

"Naruto" Sakura said softly placed a hand on his shoulder in sympathy, he smacked her hand away and glared at her too

"She's not dead! I refuse to believe that!" Naruto snapped at his teammates and ran off into the forest.

"Naruto! Where are you going!" Sakura called out.

"Leave him, I'll go speak with him in a bit, he needs time to process what happened here today" Kakashi told his two remaining students. Kakashi zoned out his students as they began to talk to Haku, leaving the two adults to talk among themselves.

"You really think the Hokage will let us stay?" Zabuza

"Perhaps, you may be restricted from using chakra for a while, but if you prove that you are loyal and he may let you. Are you actually thinking about it?" Kakashi said a bit surprised.

"My intuition tells me no..." Zubuza admitted "...But my instincts tell me yes"

_I wonder why that is,_ Kakashi thought as he pulled out his orange book from his pouch as they walked back to Tazuna's house.

* * *

**Second chapter re-write is done!**


	3. Not A Flower, Just a Weed

avert 1523** and **Crossdresser123

**Thank you for following this story! **

**I should warn you, I plan to make this a bit darker than what I normally write, so if you are not comfortable with that I would not read it. I'll try to put a warning at the beginning of the chapter like my other stories. Topics it _may_ touch: drug use, sex, mental and physical abuse, gore and torture. ****Not 100% sure yet, ****my mind ****usually has a concept but when I start writing it ends up taking weird turns. **

"Speaking in Japanese"

_"Speaking in English"_

**"Speaking in Spanish"**

_**'**T__houghts**'**_

**I don't proofread my chapters! I just dish them out as I write them because I'm lazy so keep in mind it'll probably have a lot of grammar errors.**

**Any who, on with the story!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. JUST MY OCs.**

* * *

The first to visit her in the hospital had been her family even though she assure them she was fine they were hesitant to even get near her or even touch her in fear that they would hurt her. The next awkward part was lying to them that she didn't remember anything just to avoid their questions and telling them the real truth. Instead she asked how long it's been and what they've been up to.

"_You're fucking with me, right_?" She blurted out but the serious looks on all their faces told her otherwise "**Two and half years? Are you sure?**" Azucena subconsouisly brought a hand to her wound with a frown and far away look on her face "_It felt longer_"

Two and half years...that couldn't be right. She had been gone for five years. She was sure of it, she could feel it in her body. She had counted all 1,883 days she had been there. It was more than five years. Or had she been wrong all along? The quietness in the room made her head snap up to look at her siblings they had looks of horror at her words. She mentally cursed, they knew she had been tortured or at least now assumed it.

Trying to change the subject she faked a gasped and turned to Daniel "_Oh no! I missed your graduation! I'm so sorry Dani!"_

He stared at her like she had grown a second "_That's what you're more worried about?_"

"_Don't say it like that! Graduation is an important day! It marks the last day of your childhood and the first into adult life where you'll face nothing but obstacles and finding out who you really are before having a mental breakdown_" Azucena exclaimed it seemed to bring them to smile.

"_You haven't changed at all Azu"_ Victor shook his head at her with a chuckle.

_Keep them distracted, don't say anything stupid_. She peered closer to her siblings and noticed the two year change on them, Daniel had a huge grow spurt and was now taller than her even Carolina was taller than her too.

"_What the fuck how come I'm the shortest one now_?!" Azucena gaped at them and it seem to do the trick. The tension in the room drop as they began to laugh and now that she distracted them, she could take the conversation a different direction.

"_What college are you going to? Did you get a job yet? What about you Lina? Why are you guys so quiet? Tell me everything I missed! Gabi when did you find out you were pregnant? How was the wedding? Do you have pictures? Victor what's new with you? Did any of you call Thea_?"

"_She said she's was on her way_" Gabriela told her while letting her see the text message and also showing her pictures of Daniel's graduation and her wedding. She'd missed her sister's wedding.

She really only been missing for 2 1/2 years even when she knew for a fact it have been five. Did time run differently in each world? She would worry about that later, right now she needed to focus on what her siblings were telling her.

Daniel had graduation and got a soccer scholarship to college. He had a girlfriend for almost a year now, he had met her while working the drive thru, she laughed at that. Carolina was now a senior in high school and she was also dating someone from her school and she would get to meet him soon because of Carolina's prom was next month. Gabriela had gotten married and moved out with her new husband, she was also expecting her first kid in less than three months. Seeing her older sister pregnant was a shock but she was quick to congratulate her and made a joke that she was not babysitting. She was going to be an Aunt...weird. Victor broke up with his girlfriend but he stayed living in his apartment, he visited home more often at least that's what Daniel and Carolina said. He was still working but now he was saving to buy his own house. Her father got promoted to manager and the extra money he got from the raise he had been saving to hire a private investigator to find her. Her mother had taken her absence harder than the rest of her family but that was to be expected it was her mother after all. She couldn't imaging having a child and having it taken away from you for two years not knowing if they were alive or dead.

They continued to talk until Thea arrived and Azucena made sure to not reveal anything about herself and only brought up happy memories they had together to affirm them that she was here and she was really alive. She could see it in their eyes, they had given up hope on her and now that she showed up they felt horrible for not looking harder. She'd knew that look, that was the look Jiraiya had given her when he found her beaten to a pulp at the I&T building in Konoha. It was the look Hiruzen's had given her when she was taken by Danzo. She shook her head to rid the thoughts, she didn't want to think about that.

"_We'll visit again tomorrow, we'll give you guys some time_"

Thea's tall frame came into view she was wearing an oversized hoodie and a pair of blue jeans and black sneakers. Her hair was pulled back lazily meaning she just got out of class.

"_You still haven't graduated?"_ Azucena teased.

"_Bitch where the fuck have you been!"_ Thea crosses the room and hugged her gently unlike her family that was too afraid to even get near her or even touch her.

"_Oh you know here and there_"

Thea glared at her response and Azucena sighed before looking at her seriously "_I__t a long story, even I'm not sure if it's real or not_"

"_I have time, visitor hours aren't done until 10pm_"

_"Honestly dude, I don't want to talk about that yet...I just want to enjoy being back"_

_"That's fine, I get it, you'll tell me when you're ready. So I have one more class before I graduate you're going to be there right?"_

Azucena smiled at her friend "_I wouldn't miss it for the world_"

_"Good because it's next month! Oh! I almost forgot I have a boyfriend now! It's Kevin!"_ Thea grinned.

_"He finally asked you out?"_ Azu laughed.

_"Mmmhmm been going out for almost a year! And they was he ask me out was fucking adorable too! He-"_

Azucena listen in to everything Thea that has been going on with her for the past two and half years. That was what she loved about their friendship even after they haven't seen each other in a long time they were good at picking up where they stopped like nothing had changed. Like everything she had been through didn't matter and everything was back to normal and she desperately wanted to believe that. That this was some fucked up nightmare that she had just woken up from but the scars on her body told her it wasn't. Instead she would enjoy this small escape but even as she tried to focus on what Thea was saying her mind couldn't help but think back to what had happened. Did they fail the mission? Was her team okay? Was Haku okay? Or did her interference cause a massive change? What if this caused them to fail the mission-

_Azu-_

_"Azu? You okay?"_

"_Hmm_? _Hey y__ou know some Japanese, right?"_ Azucena asked changing the topic and Thea stared at her bewilder before answering her.

"_Some phrases" _Thea shrugged unsure _"But carry a full conversation? No_" Thea shook her head.

"_Oh...do you still have all of you're Naruto books_?"

_"Yes_?" Thea raised an eyebrow not really sure where Azucena was going with all this.

"_Can you bring them? I want to read them_" she really did. She wanted to see if anything changed. She wanted to see if they were okay. She wanted to make sure that they were happy.

"_All of them_?"

"_Yeah, I'm going to be stuck here for another few days, the doctor wants to make sure my shoulder doesn't get infected before releasing me_"

"_I'll bring them tomorrow then_"

That had eased her mind a bit but she was still worried and it nagged at her in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

Zabuza stood in the hokage's office hands tied in chakra cuffs with Haku beside him wearing a pair of his own. Kakashi kept one hand on the chakra rope and he looked bored, his genin team had already left the office seeing as they weren't high enough in rank to hear what the Hokage had to say about the turn of events.

"Momochi Zabuza, S-class missing-nin, member of the Seven Swordsmen and Demon of the Hidden Mist" the Hokage said standing up and looked over to the young boy "And you are?"

"Yuki Haku"

"Yuki? I wasn't aware there were any survivors left" The third hummed in interest.

"Yes, I am the last of my clan but if it wasn't for Zabuza-sans taking me in years ago I don't think I would be here today"

"Interesting, my next question is why would a swordsman take pity on a child?"

Zabuza sighed "The truth? I was going to turn him into the perfect weapon, he was to be my successor should anything happened to me but as the years went on Haku did not show an interest in fighting. He only fought to protect me and unfortunately the Kiribukochochi needs someone who is not afraid to slice through an enemy"

"A successor so soon?"

"Don't act so surprise Hokage-sama, missing-nins tends to have bounties on their heads or did you forget" Zabuza chuckled darkly.

"Mind your tone when you speak to our Hokage" Kakashi narrowed his eyes at him and Zabuza smirked.

"Is that why you took Azu?" Hiruzen mused while stroking his beard. The smirk on Zabuza's face dropped and his eyes narrowed but he said nothing.

"Kakashi, why don't you take Haku to the I&T department in the meantime, I need to speak to Momochi-San privately"

"But are you sure you should be left alone-"

"Do you doubt your Hokage's skills?"

"Of course not, forgive me" Kakashi apologize and tugged at the rope to get Haku to follow him.

"Go Haku" Zabuza told the boy while never taking his eyes off the third Hokage even as he stood up to get closer to him.

"Azu has informed me of everything she has gone through in your care, my next question is why should I allow you refuge in my village instead of send your head back to Mist? What purpose do you have here Momochi-San?"

"Purpose? No purpose, Azu is dead and I'm only carrying her wishes, do what you want to me but leave Haku out of it"

"Why carry out her wishes?" _Unless...deep down you actually cared for her_. Zabuza stared at the old man but he said nothing missing the small smile that grace the Hokage's face as he turned around to stare out into the village. "Well then, my ANBU will excort you to the I&T department where we'll begin the process to incorporate you into our village"

"Just like that?" Zabuza raised a brow.

"Make no mistake Momochi-san the process will be long and force will be allowed if you do not corporate"

Zabuza said nothing as two ANBU shinobi entered the room and each one grabbed one of his biceps and began to led him away.


	4. The Devil's Lettuce

kanna-yamamoto** and **AlecLightwoodMagnusBane

**Thank you for following this story! **

**Also to **firemaster101**,** **yes, there is a back story...I'm getting there, just a few more chapters.**

**I should warn you, I plan to make this a bit darker than what I normally write, so if you are not comfortable with that I would not read it. I'll try to put a warning at the beginning of the chapter like my other stories. Topics it _may_ touch: drug use, sex, mental and physical abuse, gore and torture. ****Not 100% sure yet, ****my mind ****usually has a concept but when I start writing it ends up taking weird turns. **

"Speaking in Japanese"

_"Speaking in English"_

**"Speaking in Spanish"**

_**'**T__houghts**'**_

**I don't proofread my chapters! I just dish them out as I write them because I'm lazy so keep in mind it'll probably have a lot of grammar errors.**

**Any who, on with the story!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. JUST MY OCs.**

* * *

The books Thea had let her borrow she had read and finished the first part of the series long before they even released her from the hospital. Zabuza was dead and despite her efforts Haku was too and that had hurt much more than she realized. Naruto seem to be doing well and his teammate Sasuke fell on a dark path. Konoha dark secret came into the light and they weren't as innocent as one might have thought but she wasn't a fool she had experienced it first hand after all. She knew what they were capable of, in fact they weren't that different from her own world's government. They held secrets and only released information that they wanted the public to know. She needed to borrow the second part of Thea's collection she wanted to see if everything worked out because as much as she suffered she had made good friends and family like bonds while she was in that other world and she wanted to make sure they lived a good life.

"**Mija you ready to go**?" Azucena head snapped to her mother as she grabbed the last of her things and they were ready to leave the hospital.

"**Yeah...just lost in thought**" the drive home was silent, beginning in a car again felt surreal to her she could feel and see her mother glace at her from the reflection in the window but she paid no mind to it. It was even stranger to be back in her parent's home and sharing a room again with her little sister. She had explored the house again letting her fingers trail over her mothers decorations and family pictures like she was trying to convince herself that this was real.

**"If you need anything just call me**" Her mother wouldn't stop coming into the room every ten minutes to check on her but she couldn't blame her for that so she just let her be. She knew her mother was worried and she knew shew was also trying to get use to the fact that she was back but she was different. That this wasn't a dream, that she was really back even her little sister stopped doing her homework and started asking her questions until their mother had told Carolina to leave her alone so she could rest. She was sure her whole family knew something was off about her.

"_Okay_" Azucena said softly her eyes drifting close as the pain killers kicked in. The next time she woke, it was dark outside already and the smell of food was strong in the air.

"**Dinner's ready**" Their mother shouted from the kitchen.

"Oh shit how long was I sleeping for? What day is it?!" Azu turned to Carolina who jumped at her shouting then she looked at Azu confused.

"_What the hell? What are you saying?_"

"**Lina help me up**" Azucena whined with a pout. She had slipped up again and spoke Japanese, she hoped that if she ignored the questions Carolina would forget about it "_I want to eat it's been 5 years since I had Ma's food_"

"_Don't be dramatic it's only been 2 1/5 years_" Riiiight.

"_Still too long, what she make anyway?_"

"**Enchiladas Verdes**, _you're favorite_" Carolina answered while giving her a look that said 'did you really think mom wasn't going to make that on the first day you're back home'. Azucena gave her a stupid grin and with her good arm wrapped it around her shoulders. It was slightly awkward since her little sister was taller.

"_Come on, I'm starving_" Azucena said leaning her to the dining room with a sway to her but Carolina steady her. They each took a sit at the table their mother handed them each a plate with two enchiladas with a side of beans and orange rice. Azucena stared at the food mouth drooling at the site. She had tried to recreate this recipe once in that world but they didn't have the same ingredients so she had to improvise and it hadn't tasted the same. Using her good hand she used her fork to cut a piece to eat and stuck it in her mouth and without any warning she began to cry. It wasn't pretty either, it was the kind that sobbing where boogers run down your nose and you can't stop no matter how much you wipe it away it just keeps coming. Her family didn't know what to do or say so she continued to eat while crying. Everything had hit her all at once the pain in her shoulder, the taste of the food, seeing her family look at her unsure as she cried and ate. She was really home and yet...it felt different.

"**It's...really good**..." Azucena continued to sob and stuff her face with her mother's delicious food. The rest of dinner she spent distracting them with light conversation, asking questions about relatives and what has been happening since she was gone. It seem to do the trick in easing them a bit but the tension was still there.

Within a week of being cleared to go home she began to feel restless. She was so used to waking up early and doing her training followed by sparring with Zabuza, of course that had changed when she arrived to Konoha and she began to train with Gai or helping out at the academy. It was too quiet here. There was no life in this world, not like over there, where everything seem to be breathing with life...like magic. No, chakra. That's what felt different, the lack of chakra in this world, she couldn't sense anything and it was throwing her off. It was making her paranoid. Before she was able to sense when someone was nearing her and now if she didn't see them and they touched her to get her attention she would freak out. She scared Victor when he tapped her good shoulder to show her something and she had bit his hand in defense. She bit so hard that she broke through his skin. Both of them had been so surprised at what had happened that they didn't even know how to react, they just stared as she open her mouth in horror releasing his hand in the process. Then like vomit she began to apologize repeatedly, running to the kitchen she grabbed him a rag to stop the bleeding. She spent the rest of the day apologizing to him even when he told her not to worry about it. From that point on her family started to get a habit of calling out to her before entering the same room as her. She couldn't blame them, she was dangerous now and she was starting to realize it. She began to do light works outs in the backyard since her mother didn't want her to go back to work until she was fully healed. Sometimes she would go on really long walks just so she wouldn't be a bother to her family, the less time she spent at home the safer they were from her outbursts.

At night the nightmares came and she laid awake until early hours of morning until her body was too exhausted to stay up. Carolina was starting to look at her in a differently, cautious, even going as far as avoiding her and it hurt. It hurt because she knew her sister was becoming afraid of her.

"_She doesn't sleep and when she does...I think she has nightmares, sometimes she talks in her sleep but it's in a different language_" Carolina whispered to Daniel as she listened from the hallway hidden from their view.

"_What does she say_?"

"**I don't know fool**_, she just says weird words, I think it might be Vietnamese or something_" Carolina said quietly.

"**What do you think happened to her**?" Daniel whispered back.

"_It's Japanese_" Azucena corrected walking into the living room taking a seat on the her father's unoccupied recliner "_And if you want to talk about me all you have to do is fucking ask_" Azucena called out as she finally entered the room. Both younger siblings flinched at her harsh words and at being caught.

"_Sorry_" they both apologized looking down ashamed.

"_Long story short, I went through some shit and I'm not 100% okay up here_" Azucena tapped her head to indicated that she did have issues "_I'm trying to cope with it but its hard and I'm sorry if I lash out and hurt you guys I don't mean to do it_**...it's just...I don't have control over it sometimes**" straight to the point that should

"_Like a defense mechanism?_" Daniel supplied.

"**Sort of**" Azucena said unsure.

"**Azu, what happened?**" Carolina asked cautiously.

"_Bad stuff, stuff I don't want you to know because I don't want you picturing me in that way_" she admitted with a far away look and then shook her head to rid herself of the memories "_I'll be sleeping on the couch from now on_"

"_You don't have to do that_-" Carolina protested.

"**I need to**" she corrected herself and stood up "_I'm going for a walk_" She left before they could protest more.

Days turned to weeks and weeks turned into a month. Azucena's daily routine consisted of waking up, do some light walking the doctor had recommended, eat, try to get some sleep, take another walk, do some chores, shower, eat and try to get some sleep. She had tried to reconnect with her family but it only seem to push them further away. She stared at the tattoo on her arm with hate, she used to live by them and now she just wanted to go back in time and forget everything happened but she couldn't and the only logical thing to do was go back. If only to protect her family because as much she wanted to stay she couldn't and the fucked up parted was she wanted to go back because at least she could pretend she was normal and the shinobi knew what to expect from her and could keep her from harming anyone.

"**Azu go to the store with Dani and Lina, your Papa wants to have a barbeque**" her mother said handing her some money and a small list of items that she want her to buy and with that the three youngest siblings drove to the nearest liquor store to buy sodas, chips and paper plates.

"_Alright Dani you get the chips, Lina get the soda and I'll get the plates_" she instructed them and the all split up to get what they needed. Azucena walked through the small aisles until she found what she was looking for and even grabbed some paper cups. Satisfied she went to the cash register where her siblings were already waiting for her.

"_Hold this, I'm going to go grab a bag of ice too_" She hand over the stuff to then before going back to the freezer section and grabbed a bag of ice.

"_Nobody move or I'll shoot_"

Azucena froze at the shout she turned to the front and saw Carolina crying and hiding behind Daniel stood in front of her as a shield.

She saw red.

The training Zabuza and Gai had put her through kicked in when she saw her family in danger. She quickly moved towards him.

"_I said don't move bitch!_" The gun man turned his aim on her. Good, she wanted his attention on her "_I said don't move_" he shot once in warning, her sister screamed and she side step but the bullet was much faster and still managed to graze her arm. She ignored the pain and continued forward launching at him and using the taijutsu gai had shown her, snaking her arm around his neck and slipping a leg in between his own. A simple twist and he went down fast she stepped on his hand and kicked the gun away. She hears a bone break in his wrist and the man is screaming in pain.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Azucena hissed pressing her foot down harder on his wrist, feeling the bone crunch under her shoe "Maybe I should kill you, one less asshole in this world" she could do it, one good kick to his neck just like Zabuza had taught her and he would be dead.

"_Azucena stop! he's down, he can't hurt us anymore_" Carolina cried trying to pull Azucena away and snapped her from her rage "**Dani help me!**"

"**Azucena stop!**" Daniel and shoved her away from the man. Azucena glared at her brother and he looked afraid of her and it made her face soften. What had she been thinking? This wasn't like that world she would go to prison with a shake of her head she crouched down and undid the man's shoe laces.

_"Sorry...I...**are**_** you guys okay**?" She asked softly using the man's shoe laces to tie up his hands and feet until police got there. Carolina has rushed into her arms and sobbed "_It's okay, I'm fine_" Azu shushed her but she wasn't she was sure she puled something again in her shoulder but she wasn't about to worry them more.

"_You're bleeding_!" Carolina sobbed "_What if...what if he didn't miss? What if he took you away from us again?_"

"_It's just a scratch, trust me I've had way worse_" she assured them and turned to the cashier "_I'm assuming the cops are on their way?_"

The cashier could only nodded with his mouth wide open. It was that moment she realized she couldn't stay home anymore she had to figure out a way to go back.

She had to call Thea.

* * *

"Oh come on! Please no one else would do it!"

"Run along, I have no patience for kids"

"But you trained Haku!"

"That's different"

"And Azu-nee-chan"

"Also different" Zabuza glared down at the blonde boy in irritation. Ever since he had been placed in probation and allowed to walk freely in the village. Naruto had seem to never leave his side. Haku would just smile, the brat was getting a kick out of all this "Where is your sensei? Shouldn't you be asking him or anyone else?"

"He's too busy training Sasuke" Naruto grumbled with cross of his arms and then frowned "And Azu-nee-chan usually trains me but..." the boy showed to much emotion just like Azu, it was no wonder she was training the twerp.

"Boy, you realize I'm still on probation, I don't have a access to my weapon and my chakra is sealed off for another 11 months"

"You know taijutsu right? Kakashi-sensei says my taijutsu is horrible but won't help me maybe you can and then I can kick the bastards ass!"

He had him there, he could teach Naruto to correct his form while fighting hand to hand. He still needed a successor for kiribirikuro perhaps he would do? The blonde genin flashed him a grin and Zabuza's brow twitched at his cheerfulness. No. He would continue searching.

"What do need train for anyway?"

"Didn't you know? I made it to the finals of the chuunin exams"

"A twerp like you managed to make it to the finals?"

"What's that suppose to mean? Of course I made it to the finals! I'm a skilled shinobi after all! No one can beat me! And if they do then I just have to work twice as hard to get stronger! So will you help me?"

"Meet me here at 0400 hours" Zabuza finally said. He would help the kid out, it's not like he had anything better to do.

"Alright!" Naruto cheered and Zabuza was beginning to regret his decision.


	5. Rip It By The Roots

misanthropic-Belldandy, isikova. elena98, sweetlittlemiko and DarkDust27

**Thank you for following and or reviewing this story! It means a lot! :)**

**I should warn you, I plan to make this a bit darker than what I normally write, so if you are not comfortable with that I would not read it. I'll try to put a warning at the beginning of the chapter like my other stories. Topics it _may_ touch: drug use, sex, mental and physical abuse, gore and torture. ****Not 100% sure yet, ****my mind ****usually has a concept but when I start writing it ends up taking weird turns. **

"Speaking in Japanese"

_"Speaking in English"_

**"Speaking in Spanish"**

_**'**T__houghts**'**_

**I don't proofread my chapters! I just dish them out as I write them because I'm lazy so keep in mind it'll probably have a lot of grammar errors.**

**Any who, on with the story!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. JUST MY OCs.**

* * *

It had been two months since they had incorporated Momochi Zabuza into their ranks. Of course he was still on probation with his chakra sealed off and only allowed to use it if the Hokage sent him on a mission but while in the village, he was not allowed to use it. The man had been given a new name too as to not cause a war with Kiri for harboring one of their fugitives. So far the he been abiding by their rules and seem to keep to himself or seen talking with Kakashi every now and again. HIs subordinate, Haku, could usually be seen hanging out with him but when he wasn't he was at the hospital as a part-time medic. Saratobi sat at his desk, elbows resting on it with fingers laced just in front of his mouth as he stared at his Jonin, he had called a meeting with the shinobi he had left incharge with keeping an extra eye out on the missing nin and report anything suspicious back to him.

"Anything to report on Mizushima Kirisame?" Saratobi asked and watch his shinobi all shake there heads no. Kakashi was the only one to step forward and give his intake, after all he was the main one that was keeping tabs on Zabuza the most since the man talked to him every once in a while.

"He seems to keep to himself but I have seen him training Naruto every now and again" Kakashi stated not looking up from his book, Hiruzen coughed in his hand, he didn't understand how Kakashi could read that with a straight face.

"Training Naruto you say?" he leaned back in his seat as he stroked his beard in amusement. He hadn't planned for Naruto to take a liking to him or even for Momochi-san to agree to the boys plead of training. Originally he wanted Ebiso to train him for the chuunin exam finals at least until Jiraiya arrived but this would do for now.

"Yes, he trains both him and Haku in the afternoons, he doesn't really seem interested in anything, seems like he's just...waiting. Also Naruto has had of habit of calling him by his name despite the many times I tell him he needs to refer to him as Kirisame."

Waiting? Now that was interesting. What was the missing nin waiting for?

"Keep a tighter watch on him" Saratobi instructed his shinobi "I want to know everything that seems out of the ordinary for him. As for Naruto I will speak to him."

A snort from the group made his eyes narrow, he should had figured his son would be the one to comment first.

"Something you want to share Asuma?"

"Him being in the village is already out of the ordinary, what are his reasonings? It can't just be for the Yuki boy" Asuma said taking a cigarette out and placing it on his lips at the ready. He couldn't denied that his son made a good point. Was he planning an attack against them even after they gave him sanctuary? Or was he waiting for them to conclude that they didn't need him and would dispose of him quickly? Did he know something they didn't?

_"Purpose? No purpose, I'm just carrying out Azu's wishes that's all"_

Those had been the words Momochi-San had told him when he arrived and that was all the T&I departed managed to get out of him. He wasn't due for another mind sweep until next month. Mind sweeps took time, too many at once could cause damage to the brain from the memory review, digging through their memories could have lasting effects. He could still remember when they had done it on Azu, she had not been the same after it had been done. He made a new protocol because of it and it had in fact become more successful for the Yamanaka clan. Inoichi has even reported that information came to them more easily since the host was grow accustomed to their chakra without them knowing and sometimes it gave them more insight. And at the moment it was they wanted, they wanted Momochi as an ally for now, after all the Momochi Clan was quite known for their chakra, that it was on the borderline of becoming a bloodline limit.

He had a feeling that Momochi-san knew it too.

* * *

Azucena held the cup in her hand in a tight grip as she sat on Thea's couch, her gym bag she had quickly put together sat beside her. Thea was looking at her in concerned but didn't say anything. Azucena couldn't get rid of the images of her family's faces when she told them she was leaving and staying with Thea from now on. Her mother began to cry and kept asking why and telling she couldn't do that, not when they had just got her back. Carolina kept blaming herself even when Azucena told her it wasn't her fault. Victor and Gabriela didn't live with their parents so it really didn't affect them but they had tried to talk her out of it and convince her to stay for the sake of their mother. Her father had been the most understanding and Daniel...he hadn't said much. In fact he didn't say anything at all, he had just watch her leave with a sad look on his face. It wasn't that she was scared of hurting Thea, _because she was_. It was just the risk was much lower since Thea was still going to school and she worked full-time and that meant she wouldn't be in her apartment for most of the day.

"I started a new show and I'm barely on episode two if you want to watch it with me, I don't mind re-watching the first episode again" Thea said plopping down beside her and it made Azucena flinch as she tried to hold back her natural instinct of taking a swing.

"Sure" She forced a grin.

"Hell no, you are not going to start being fake with me" Thea glared at her "You better start showing your fucking feelings! I'm supposed to be your best friend! I know you don't want to talk and that's fine! I get that, but don't fucking put on a fake face! You know I hate when people do that shit!" She snapped at her. Azucena's grin dropped and she launched herself at Thea, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and burying her face in her best friend's shoulder. Azucena began to sob, it was the most heart wretched sound Thea heard come out of her friend. Azucena could feel Thea tense but only for a moment before her arms wrapped around her and held her tightly. It only made her cry harder and through her chokes and stuttering she told Thea everything that has happened with her family since she'd been had returned.

"I...I hurt them" she finally broke down "I hurt...and scared my own family" Azucena cried into Thea's shoulder remembering when she bit Victor and when she lashed out at Daniel and Carolina, and she scared them at the store.

Thea didn't know what to say, she had a feeling whatever she said wouldn't help Azucena feel better so instead she let her vent and only held her tighter to let her know she was there for her no matter what.

"I know this probably won't make you feel better but you'll get through this...it doesn't feel like it now but you will...maybe you need to see a therapist—"

"No" Azucena pulled away from her "I can't, not with everything I've done..." Azucena took a deep breathe and let it out.

"Azu...keeping this bottled up inside-"

"I've...there's blood...on my hands" Azucena said slowly before looking Thea in the eyes.

Thea's eyes widened at her friends confession "You...killed...before?" She squirmed in her seat and then swallowed hard trying to process the information "This...this is a lot to take in..."

Azucena nodded in agreement, she was thankful Thea hadn't left but she could see the fear slowly creeping into her eyes.

"Do you remember the day I vanished?" Azucena asked quietly.

"Yeah we were going to go dancing after we dropped off our stuff then you ditch me" Thea poked her forehead and Azucena let her.

"I didn't ditch you...I left this universe on accident"

"First off, I didn't even make the brownies that strong—"

Azucena couldn't help but chuckle slightly because they had eaten special brownie's that day but that wasn't it.

"No, I mean I literally left this world, dimension whatever you want to call it"

Moments of silence passed between them before Thea began to laugh and then push her jokingly.

"No, seriously, what happened?" Thea questioned her but the serious look on Azucena's face told her other wise "Shit, you're serious...b-but how is that even...possible?" she gaped at her and Azucena's nodded once.

"I don't know, even I'm still having a hard time believing it myself... but if it weren't for my scars, I would have thought it to be a dream"

"Where...did you go?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I went on your favorite anime show?"

"..."

"Yeah, I didn't believe it either. I thought I was still high on those brownies you made" Azucena's snorted sadly.

"...Maybe you should start from the beginning"

"Maybe..." Azucena hesitated biting her lip in thought.

"But?" Thea pressed on the change in her friends attitude sent warning alarms in her head "If you don't want to say you don't have to, you know that...right?"

"It's...just" Azucena sighed "Some serious shit happened and I don't know how you'll...react. I haven't even told my own family on what really happen to protect them"

"The...killing?"

"I didn't have a choice" Azucena whispered "It was either them or...me" looking down refusing to meet Thea's eyes. She was ashamed that she chose her life, she was a coward.

"That's...that..."

"I know, it's fucked up. I'M fucked up—"

"You're not fucked up—"

"I am" Azucena ran a hand through her hair "I just learned to hide it after all, shinobi rule #25 and ninja must never show their emotions"

"If it weren't for the serious talk I would be proud of you for remembering that rule—"

"It's the truth, I know from experience that how you get killed or in my case almost die" Azucena placed a hand on her shoulder where Kakashi had pierced his hand through her. She almost died for Haku because she cared too much for him.

"What happened? You don't have to say—" Thea began and was immediately cut off by Azucena.

"I need to...just promise you'll still be my friend? Something happened in that storm...I'm not the same, I can feel it..." Was it magic? Physics? Paranormal?...Or something else?

Thea wrapped her in a hug "You need to hide the bodies? I can get the shovel and trash bags." Azucena softly smiled at that and hugged Thea back.

"Burning the bodies works better followed by burying the remains, they can't steal you're knowledge that way"

"Dude..."

"Yeah, I know, that sounded really fucked up"

* * *

**Yay I'm excited! The next chapter is finally the start how everything happened!**


	6. A Lily In A Garden

TheSpoy, AlecLightwoodMagnusBane, hannahisabannana **and** MechanicalCaptain

**Thank you for following and or reviewing this story! It means a lot! :)**

**I should warn you, I plan to make this a bit darker than what I normally write, so if you are not comfortable with that I would not read it. I'll try to put a warning at the beginning of the chapter like my other stories. Topics it _may_ touch: drug use, sex, mental and physical abuse, gore and torture. ****Not 100% sure yet, ****my mind ****usually has a concept but when I start writing it ends up taking weird turns. **

"Speaking in Japanese"

_"Speaking in English"_

**"Speaking in Spanish"**

_**'**T__houghts**'**_

**I don't proofread my chapters! I just dish them out as I write them because I'm lazy so keep in mind it'll probably have a lot of grammar errors.**

**Any who, on with the story!**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN NARUTO. JUST MY OCs.**

* * *

Azucena didn't know how many times she pressed the snooze button on her alarm that sat on her beside table, all she knew was that the bright numbers just kept reminding her that she was already late for class. She didn't feel like going either but she had too, she was already close to failing the class but it was too late to drop it and she had to at least try and pass it now. Why was she going to school again? She hadn't even decide what she wanted to be yet, she only enrolled because of her parents. She had wanted to make them proud of her achivements but that was turning out to be tougher since she hadn't really accomplished anything except graduating high school with semi decent grades...if you could even call them that. With a deep sigh Azucena sat up and threw the covers off her and headed to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. There was no time for a shower or breakfast today and with another glanced at herself in the mirror she decided a baggy sweater over her PJ's would have to do for today's outfit. She slipped on some socks and shoes and gathered her schoolwork that was on her desk before shoving it all into her backpack.

"Shit" she cursed as her homework crinkled in the process.

"Hey roomie want to wake and bake?" Her roommate who also happened to be her bestfriend burst into the room with a dopey smile. She was a tall lean blonde in sweatpants and a tank top with a bowl of cereal in one hand and pipe in the other. Thea, she had a blanket draped over her shoulders and her hair was a mess but was put up in a loose ponytail. A sign she had just gotten out of bed before her but not by much.

"Love too, but-"

"Just a baby one" Thea said offering her a small pipe with a shake of her hand.

Azucena pause considering it a moment then shook her head "Nice try but not falling for that again, last time you made me miss two of my classes and one of them I had a pop quiz" she lightly glared at Thea with a smirk.

Thea laughed "You have to admit that was fun day" Azucena rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless because she remembered that day quite well, they had practically spent the whole day laughing at nonsense, pigging out on pizza and then hitting the clubs to dance.

"I'll see you later and don't forget it's your turn to make dinner tonight" Azucena called out as she locked the apartment door behind her.

Arriving to class did not take long after all the school was only a ten minute drive from their apartment. However the problem she did come across was that the professor had already split everyone up into groups for a project.

"Azucena so nice of you to finally join us"

She flushed "Sorry, I over slept, I had a late shift at work yesterday-"

He shook his head while holding up a hand, signaling her that he did not want to hear any excuses "Come get the assignment and see if anyone is willing to let you into their group, if not then you're stuck doing it on your own"

"Right" she sighed grabbing the papers he held out to her. Azucena scanned the room for a group that had the least amount of people before asking if she could join them. They had been nice and let her join them and the rest of class was spend completing the class assignment. Before the class officially ended their professor called out to them one last time.

"Remember that next week is the mid-term, be sure to study chapters 5, 6 and 8 thoroughly because they will be on the test"

Azucena felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and she took it out to see who was contacting her. It was a message from her mother asking if she could pick up her younger siblings from school later since she had a doctor's appointment to go to. She sent a quick reply that she would pick them up before heading to her next class for the day.

Her second class went by quickly considering it was only an hour long not like the previous one that was three hours. She headed to her younger siblings school and saw only her younger sister Carolina, waiting by the flagpole in front of the school. When Carolina saw her truck she walked over to the curb, opened the door, tossed her backpack inside and sat in the passenger seat.

"What up turd! Where's Dani?" Azucena teased her. It had been a good two weeks since she last saw her little sister, her schedule had been busy and she hadn't had time to visit her families home in awhile.

"He's in soccer practice, I usually wait for him at the bleachers until mom picks us up but I'm pretty sure she didn't tell you that" Carolina said quietly, she was never much of a talker unless it was to inform.

"We have to wait for him?" Azucena whined.

"The student parking lot is over there, the entrance to the field he's practicing at is close by" Carolina pointed in the direction she wanted Azucena to go.

"How's life in this beautiful cruel world?"

"Are you high again? I'm telling mom" She looked at Azucena suspiciously.

"No, I'm not high and really? That's the first thing you're going to ask after I haven't seen you in like, what 50 years-" Azucena exaggerated with pout.

"It's only been two weeks" Carolina snorted.

"I've been busy okay! Now tell me, what's been going on at home since mom seems to over exaggerated everything when I talk to her on the phone"

"What'd she tell you?" she raised a brow.

"She said you have a major attitude and you been slacking on your chores and that Dani is failing all his classes" Azucena listed off on her fingers boredly.

"He's only failing math and I only gave her attiude once because she wouldn't stop bugging me while I was working on a project that was 40 percent of my grade" she rolled her eyes "There's a spot right there" Carolina pointed to a vacant parking space.

"Just try doing your chores first before doing your homework, trust me it'll get her off your back" Azucena said parking her truck.

"If you say so" Carolina muttered low and got out with her bag. Azucena had also grabbed hers to do some homework while they waited for their brother's soccer practice to end. They both headed to the bleachers but not before making sure to lock her truck's door. Not that she had anything worth stealing but the last time she found a squirrel inside.

Yeah…she wasn't sure how that happened either.

"How's dad?"

"The same, falls asleep in front of the TV like always once he gets home from work"

Azucena snorted that sounded like their typical dad "And Vic?"

"Like you, he doesn't visit often but that's because of his new stupid girlfriend" she crossed her arms with a pout.

Victor, was the oldest sibling he was 36, followed by Gabriela who was 33 , then it was her, the middle child of everything at 21, followed by her little brother, Daniel who was 17, and last was their little sister Carolina who was 15. Their parents had always wanted a big family and the got it with five kids. Although only her and Victor were the only ones to have moved out of the home and into their own place.

"What about Gabi?"

"Gabi is being a bitch, I wish she was the one that moved out" Carolina frowned.

"Hey watch the language!"

"You curse all the time!" she argued back.

"True but I'm an adult and you're not, besides Ma would have a fit if she found out so try to keep it at a minimum okay" Azucena tried to reason. She couldn't say she wasn't cussing at her age because she was.

"I'm not stupid, I don't curse in front of mom or dad"

"I see what Ma was saying about the attitude" Azucena muttered with a rolled of her eyes.

"I don't have an attitude!"

"ANYWAY, how did mom find out about all this"

"Who do you think?" Carolina gave her a bored look.

"Gabi?" Azucena questioned and her sister nodded in confirmation. Gabriela had always been a snitch, not always on purpose, she just talked a lot that it always slipped out and she didn't really care. But wasn't that like breaking some unspoken sibling rule?

"I think it's because she hasn't gotten laid in months"

Azucena burst out laughing at her little sister's claim "Shut the hell up!" she continued to laugh as she got out of the truck "How long does practice usually last?" she grabbed her school bag too.

"Usually an hour" Carolina shrugged.

She had time to finish some of her math homework while she wait for Daniel's practice to be over. Occasionally Azucena would glance up to watch her brother play. She hadn't been able to go to one of his soccer games yet, but watching him here she could see he was good. Maybe she'll go next time she'll have to ask him when his next game was.

Both sisters didn't talk much after that and hadn't even noticed that the practice was over until there brother had called out to them. They packed their things and head to Azucena's truck. The three of them tossed their bags in the bed of the truck so they could have enough room in the cabin of the truck.

"So...what classes are you failing then?" Azucena asked Daniel casually.

"Oh my god it's just one! Math and it's not completely failing I have a 67%"

"So a D, not an F, but still not great, why didn't you tell me? I can help you study" Azucena offered him.

"You're always busy, I didn't want to bother you" he shrugged looking out the window with a sigh.

"Look loser, I can always make time for you" Azucena reached around her sister and softly punched his shoulder "Just text me and I'll make time to come and help you"

"Really?" he said hopeful.

"Yes but make me a copy of your schedule so I know what days you're free and I can work it around my schedule too"

"Okay!" He nodded like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

After her brother's practice she dropped both them off home and greeted her family quickly before having to leave again for school. Her mother wasn't too happy that she had to leave so soon.**  
**

"**You never visit and when you do you leave immediately, at least stay for dinner**" her mother complained.

"**So what's for dinner?**" Azucena put on a fake smile. She took out her phone and send Thea a quick message that she wasn't going to eat at their place. Thea quickly responded with and okay and to bring her leftovers to eat. Azucena shook her head she was pretty sure she forgot to make dinner.


End file.
